A standard motor-vehicle door latch that secures a door to a bolt projecting from a door post is mounted in the door and is operated by a handle assembly fitted to a hole in the outer door panel. This assembly comprises a body which is fixed in the door, a handle movable relative to the body and coupled to the door latch, and structure that secures the body in the door. Often a lock cylinder is also mounted on the body and connected to the latch so it can be used to operate the latch, and in some systems a similar assembly is mounted on an inside door panel.
To speed manufacture, it has been suggested to replace the customary screws and rivets used to secure the body to the door panel with a latching mechanism. In German patent 3,615,440 of Leistner an outside cover plate engages with hooked feet through holes in the door panel and through the assembly body. A slide mounted on the body is formed with holes that can be engaged over these feet to lock the outside cover plate in position and secure the body to the door panel.
Assembly of such a latch is easier than with screws or rivets but still comprises several steps. First the body is fitted to the inside of the door panel at the hole, then the outside cover plate is fitted to the outside face of the panel and with the body. A tool is then inserted through a hole in the door edge and the slide is shifted to lock the parts together. Of course at a later date the slide can be shifted back to allow the assembly to be taken out.
Such a system has several disadvantages. First of all it is fairly cumbersome to install. The installer must dispose of a special tool for the installation and take several steps just to secure the handle assembly in position. Furthermore the slide can move with time and release the outer plate, in particular if suddenly decelerated in a collision.